IDENTITY POLITICS

Justice UU Lalit, who was part of a constitutional bench that was set up to hear the controversial Ram Temple Babri Masjid matter today, today recused himself from the bench hearing the matter. The judge withdrew himself after one of the advocates RK Dhawan pointed...

Narendra Modi government’s new 10% economic reservation quota will not be open to economically weaker members of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes. The 124th constitutional amendment bill introduced by Thawar Chand Gehlot in Parliament today makes a specific exclusion for the above...

The government will present a new bill to amend the constitution and introduce a new 10% quota for ‘forward communities’ at 2 PM today. The bill will be presented by minister of social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot. The bill will add a new...

Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai today asked the government if it had taken steps against TV channels who were “creating hatred among various sections of Hindu community” by identifying victims of certain attacks as dalits. The government responded that it had already sent directives to...

The cabinet is reported to have approved a move to seek 10% reservation in jobs and educational institutions for all those castes and communities that currently do not get such reservations. The government will create a law to raise the upper ceiling of reserved seats...

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has dropped a hint that the Maratha community will get reservation in jobs and education on December 1. Speaking at a rally today, Fadnavis said that people who are preparing for demonstrations to demand reservations for the community should instead...

Kerala BJP state president Sreedharan Pillai has been shown bragging in a leaked video that the recent agitation by Ayyappa devotees in the temple courtyard was set off by a BJP worker, and that he considers the issue the ‘golden opportunity’ that the party has...

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear the petition filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against continued control and oversight of temples by the state government of Kerala. Unlike in other places, the control of temples in Kerala — which used to rest with the...

The ministry of social justice and empowerment said that a committee looking into the need for sub-categorization of OBC groups is expected to submit its report by 31 July. The committee, comprising four members headed by retired Supreme Court Justice G Rohini, was formed in...

BJP President Amit Shah is not a very expressive person, but the relief and happiness on his face during the party’s regular press conference today was hard to miss. Among the questions asked of Shah was whether today marks the ‘golden period’ of the BJP...

The Congress Party’s star campaigner for the upcoming elections in Nagaland, Gaurav Gogoi has once again appealed to the voters to listen to the advice of the Church when they go to polling station tomorrow. Asked what was the Congress Party’s stategy for the upcoming...

The Supreme Court has lifted the bans imposed by certain state governments like Gujarat and Haryana on the movie Padmavat and said the movie will screen across India next week. The movie is set to release on Jan 25. The court said it was the...

The apparent success of Hardik Patel-led campaign for reservations seems to be emboldening other groups to start similar campaigns. Shri Rajput Karni Sena, which was in the news for threatening have artists associated with the film Padmavati beheaded, has now warned the BJP government in...

BJP leaders have expressed worries that the Maharashtra Bandh called by Dalit organizations and some political parties in the state could be part of a political conspiracy by opposition parties to achieve a caste-based polarization in the state similar to what was seen in Gujarat....

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has suggested extending reservation benefits not only to Patels, but to all forward communities as well. “Do a census and give everyone reservation according to their population. Nobody will be angry,” Yadav said, when asked about how to deal with...

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has come out strongly against right wing activists making violent threats against artists involved with the film Padmavati, saying that he could approach the courts if such threats continue. “In a democracy, everyone has the right to protest, but making threats...

A non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued against Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader Hardik Patel and Lalji Patel in a two-year-old case related to violence at a rally. The warrant was issued in relation to violence seen in the aftermath of a rally in Vishnagar...

Former Supreme Court judge and a keen observer of Indian politics, Markandey Katju has predicted a win for the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. BJP, which is seen as a strong contender by many, would be negatively...

Bahujan Samaj Party leader Kumari Mayawati has warned Muslim voters in Uttar Pradesh against continuing to vote for Samajwadi Party, claiming that the current fight between SP leader Mulayam Singh and his son Akhilesh would split their votes in two. “I urge you not to...

It’s perhaps not something that Smriti Irani expected when she was working as a television artist, but the Union Human Resource Development minister has overtaken top Bollywood heroines as far as online search interest is concerned, a day after her emotional speech in Parliament. On...